The Pocket Rocket from Louisiana Tech — listed at 5-foot-7, 179 pounds — is a heck of a weapon in the return game, as he showed in the Miami Dolphins’ preseason opener in Atlanta. His 75-yard punt return for a fourth-quarter score was a rare moment of lightning in that phase for the Dolphins.

However, the NFL has all but eliminated kickoff returns with this new rule moving the ball up to the 35-yard-line.

Touchback City means less room on an NFL roster for a specialist like Livas.

“That’s a rule I wish they wouldn’t have changed,” Livas said after seeing touchbacks in his only two kickoff return deployments. “That’s one of the most exciting plays in the game. I hope they change that rule back.”

The NFL very well might do that, but it won’t happen until next season, which leaves Livas in a bit of a bind on roster cutdown day. The undrafted rookie probably won’t make this Dolphins roster, but it’s possible they’ll try to sneak him onto the practice squad over the weekend.

Livas certainly maintained a cheery attitude, even as his opportunities to reproduce that Atlanta magic were limited. He made two fair catches on punts against the Cowboys and added one reception for 16 yards.

“I didn’t really get too many [chances],” he said. “I couldn’t really showcase. Everybody was hoping I’d get another one out there. In the NFL, it’s tough. Yo can’t go out there and return it for a touchdown every game. You have to go out there and get the offense in good field position and catch every punt.”

He did that, even as teams started to kick away from him.

“You’ve got to go with it, got to make adjustments and make the best of it,” he said. “Once they kick it, you just got to go out there and make a play. It was exciting for me just to have this opportunity. I wanted to show the coaches I could do it. There were a few short [punts] I ran up and caught to save the offense a lot of field position. I think I impressed them with that. That was my main goal.”

So, what did you think of Livas this preseason? Are you concerned another team will snap him up if the Dolphins waive him?

i was disappointed watching him call fair catches on the cowboy punts. One of them 2 of the gunners had already ran by him and hadn’t realized he did a fc. Livas body language showed how disappointed he was, but i think he was feeling that way coming into the game it seems.

Keep it up livas, you will make it eventually. Just dont beat yourself, pl,enty of people in the league that will do it for free for you, no sense in doing it to yourself.

I would rather have him return punts and kickoffs. because i dont want gates, bush, and bess doing it because they could get hurt. and i dont want this offense to have excuses to not be great this year.

I’m all for keeping livas, but in no way is he worth giving up marlon Moore. Marlon has got the biggest upside of all and I do me all second string players. Hell he’d be a starter on most teams. The jets and pats would be in line to scoop him up. Bottom line you keep Marlon Moore if there is rm then maybe livas cause off the top spears baker and Wallace have all done and have a much better upside.

Livas could have been a receiver look at Ted Ginn Jr. We could use him for speed with Gates also. The kick rule is pretty lame hopefully they can change before next season. Either way its great to run one back, but we can’t depend on that is it’s not realistic.

They should def keep Moore and Possibly Livas what if on eof our other receivers gets injured, we still need the speed to move the offense, Columbo doesn’t seem to great either we need the O line top get Henne time so he can keep getting better.

there were LOTS of tb’s and no big returns anywhere! livas was one of the only guys who had a big return score and most of the return people out there are nfl vets!!

so, sparano thought he would bring in a college kid and put him on returns, do it under new rules that he and no else was used to all while getting used to the speed of the nfl? he was supposed to come out and score every game? come right out and avg. 37 yds a return?

when i saw they brought livas in, i had these things in my mind, that it was going to take him time to learn this new rule return game and get up to nfl speed. and, i figured if i knew that, sparano would.

so i am seeing him come in and saying to myself, ” finally! tony gets it! you have to keep a spot for a return specialist! they will keep him around at least a month or two of the regular season so he can get used to it all. HOOORAY TONY!!”……..

nope. FAIL!!!!!

why did they even bring him in? now were going to do one of two things, expose crucial players like bush and gates to the return game or go back to bess and carroll who did NOTHING!!!

i see the jets grabbing up livas. if not them, another SMART team will. to me, a great return guy is even MORE critical now under these rules. the reason you have return guys is to try and not have to start from your own 20 or worse everytime! well,now they have it.

no offense, but FK Moore….Livas is where its at man. I’ve watched, and played with this kid since i was 8. You’ll never meet a kid with more work ethic, poise or Game Changing Ability. He’s one of the most humble people i have ever met, never big headed for a second……and this is all not even speaking of his talents. He is one the most naturally talented athlets i have ever seen. MAIN is going to be a game changer in the NFL. Everyone do yourself a favor and go watch his highlight tapes for highschool and college on Youtube……good luck phil, keep taking chances big dog, we proud of u man.

Surprisingly entertaining cheers, It looks like your subscribers would most likely want even more reviews similar to this continue the great work.

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MIKE BERARDINO is still living the dream he first hatched as a young boy growing up in South Florida in the ‘70s and ‘80s. He’s writing about sports for a living. Best of all, he’s doing it in a now-crowded South Florida sports landscape teeming with talent, passion and, yes, sometimes even controversy. As the newest sports columnist at the Sun Sentinel, where he’s worked since February 1998, most recently as a Dolphins beat writer, Mike will draw on his many experiences over the years covering virtually every major sport and event. You name it, he’s been on the scene: World Series, Summer and Winter Olympics, Super Bowls, NBA Finals, NCAA Final Fours, BCS Championships, Wimbledon, the Masters, NASCAR Sprint Cup and on and on. Talk about living the dream. And now, with this new role and a daily blog forum for his many ideas and opinions, it just keeps getting better.